Legislative Alerts

The AKC urges all responsible dog owners and breeders to call or email your state legislators TODAY regarding two important pieces of legislation that are scheduled for consideration on Tuesday, March 11 and Wednesday, March 12, 2009. It is crucial that constituents communicate their opposition to these measures immediately. Although we are awaiting amendments for […]

North Carolina House Bill 460, sponsored by Representative Maggie Jeffus of Greensboro and Representative Margaret Highsmith Dickson of Fayetteville, and its companion bill, Senate Bill 460, sponsored by Senators Don Davis of Snow Hill and Senator Don Vaughan of Greensboro, have been filed.  The bills seek to regulate the commercial breeding of dogs in North […]

Alderman Burke has postponed a vote on the proposed mandatory spay/neuter ordinance. Over 130 people signed up to address the committee about the issue and several aldermen questioned whether this was an effective and economical policy for the city to pursue. AKC thanks the many breeders and responsible owners who attended the meeting as well […]

New York Assembly Bill 5507, sponsored by Assemblyman Greg Ball, seeks to classify more residents as "pet dealers"; seeks to impose ambiguous rules on all animal facilities, including homes of responsible breeders and shelters; and to define and regulate certain entities as commercial kennels.  The American Kennel Club is urging all concerned responsible dog breeders […]

The AKC congratulates Maryland dog owners and breeders on a major victory on March 2, when the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee gave an unfavorable report to a bill that would have placed numerous restrictions on dog owners and breeders. Senate Bill 318 would have mandated the implementation of rigid engineering requirements for anyone owning 10 […]

The American Kennel Club sent the following letter to Rep. Lee Denney of Oklahoma today regarding a proposed floor amendment to HB 1332. The AKC Government Relations Department noted that her proposed amendments to the bill would be an improvement over the original, but AKC remains gravely concerned over issues of search and seizure, standards […]

March 2, 2009 A bill has been introduced in the Florida House of Representatives to limit dog ownership and impose numerous regulations on responsible breeders and dog owners, including imposing regulations on any person owning 10 or more dogs and limiting ownership to 50 dogs.  All Florida responsible dog owners and breeders are encouraged to […]

California State Senator Dean Florez has introduced Senate Bill 250, a measure that purports to reduce shelter populations, but would in reality make it easier to revoke licenses for intact dogs and cats in California. This legislation will not improve the lives of cats and dogs, will negatively impact responsible owners and breeders, and by […]

A bill has been introduced in the Washington State Legislature to limit dog ownership and impose numerous regulations on responsible breeders and dog owners.  All Washington responsible dog owners and breeders are encouraged to contact their State Senator and express their opposition to Senate Bill 5651. The American Kennel Club (AKC) rejects the unsubstantiated legislative […]

The Indiana House of Representatives has passed House Bill 1468, which imposes limits on dog ownership and labels anyone who sells five dogs a year a "pet dealer".  This bill is being advertised as a solution to "puppy mills" in the state.  The AKC agrees that kennels with deplorable conditions must never be tolerated; however, […]